Chapter 80: You Cannot See What I See
Staring at the lifeless bodies of Doctor Connors, the Lizard, and Doctor Octavius tangled together, Xi Nian and Gwen, the Spider-Woman, stood in silence.
Who could have imagined such an ending?
"Dr. Connors… in the end, he completely lost control and became nothing more than a beast," Gwen said softly, removing her spider mask with a sigh. There was sadness in her voice. "And Dr. Octavius too. Those mechanical claws of his—the AI systems must have influenced his brain. His mind had already been taken over long ago."
Xi Nian nodded lightly.
To grasp powers beyond one's control, and in turn lose both humanity and restraint…
This was something he understood all too well.
The two doctors now were much like him back when he had three powers fused into one body. Only difference was that Xi Nian had stopped at the edge of the cliff, choosing to rein in that power before it consumed him. The two doctors, however, had stepped off without hesitation, sinking deeper into the abyss.
In this age, where the hidden side of the world was now exposed under sunlight and extraordinary events were surfacing one after another—
The two of them were just a symbol. A glimpse of what was to come.
In the future, more people like them would appear. Those who craved the extraordinary, only to lose themselves within it.
"Let's go. Time to head back," Xi Nian finally said.
"Should we… just leave them here?" Gwen hesitated.
"Let their brilliance remain in the world above. As for the darkness within their hearts, let it be buried forever in this underground."
After a moment's thought, Xi Nian crouched down, placing his left palm against the ground near their bodies.
With a sharp motion of his fingers pressing downward—
Crack—
The already fractured floor collapsed in on itself. The entwined bodies of the Lizard and Octavius fell into the abyss, swallowed by rubble and darkness, sealed away in a place no sunlight would ever reach.
…
Weekend.
Xi Nian lay lazily on the couch at home, absentmindedly stroking the small Flerken cub, Xiao Huang, as the television broadcasted tributes to the two late scientists who had once contributed greatly to biology and physics—Curt Connors and Otto Gunther Octavius.
"So, Auntie… that Cheetah Aunt, I mean, that Barbara woman—what happened to her?"
Turning slightly on the sofa, Xi Nian tilted his head up at the long, elegant legs serving as his pillow.
Diana gently brushed his hair back, answering calmly, "Nothing much. But for the next few years, she probably won't dare set foot in this city again."
Xi Nian shivered involuntarily, easily picturing how badly Cheetah must have been beaten.
After all, by the time he rushed back to school that day, all he saw was her fleeing in utter panic.
"Alright. Stay home and behave yourself. I have work to attend to," Diana said. She gently lifted his head, replacing her lap with a cushion.
Xi Nian frowned slightly in discontent.
The pillow was soft enough, sure—but compared to Diana's lap, wrapped in fine white fabric, warm, smooth, and comforting—it wasn't even close.
After Diana left the house, everything grew quiet. Only Xi Nian and Xiao Huang remained behind.
Even Wanda wasn't around today. Following Wayne Foundation's arrangement last week, she had been taken by car to Gotham for further studies.
Right.
Today marked the seventh day since Superman's death.
Xi Nian could still recall the sight a few days ago—Metropolis streets flooded with people, carrying flowers, mourning. The military even deployed fighter jets, giving him a state-level funeral beyond even what a president might receive.
And yet… Superman wasn't inside that grand, flag-draped coffin.
While the world held its majestic ceremony, Clark Joseph Kent was laid to rest in a plain wooden coffin, in a small private service outside the city.
At the public funeral, that empty coffin carried the justice and truth of a nation.
At the small one, there were only a handful of people—his family, fiancée, colleagues, and the soon-to-be members of the Justice League.
Diana had told Xi Nian this after she returned from that service.
He knew what it meant.
She had made her decision. Diana would inherit Superman's will, officially joining the Justice League as Wonder Woman, standing alongside other heroes to face the extraordinary threats of tomorrow.
The second great superhero team of this era was now taking shape—following the Avengers, the Justice League had risen.
…
Xi Nian shook his head. He had no intention of joining either group.
Whether Avengers or Justice League, each was guided by figures like Iron Man and Batman. Xi Nian wasn't someone who would follow another's ideals.
If he ever had the chance, he'd rather form his own alliance.
First member? Gwen, of course.
With that thought quickly pushed aside, Xi Nian lifted Xiao Huang into his arms, muttering, "How about we go visit Barry Allen? He did take care of you for a while, and he even invited us over last time."
"Meow!" Xiao Huang blinked, raising her little paw with its pink pads.
"Five cans of tuna? Deal." Xi Nian grinned.
Soon after—
He changed into casual clothes, slung a simple backpack over his shoulder, Xiao Huang's orange head poking out from the unzipped top.
The sun was shining outside, streets bustling with people. Murals commemorating Superman decorated walls, billboards flickered with his image.
It felt as though Superman was still alive, present everywhere.
Walking with Xiao Huang on his back, Xi Nian followed the address Barry had given him.
But halfway there, as he crossed a zebra crossing, Xi Nian froze slightly.
Amidst the crowd moving in the opposite direction, one figure stood out—a bald woman dressed in a clean yellow robe. She stood perfectly still at the center of the crosswalk, hands folded behind her back.
Her monk-like robes, her motionless stance in the middle of traffic—it all made her appear utterly out of place.
Yet strangely—
The countless pedestrians streaming past her acted as if she didn't exist.
Xi Nian's brows furrowed.
Was this… one of those so-called nameless terrors?
You cannot see what I see?
He quickly shook off the odd thought. Adjusting his bag to the front, he tried to blend in with the crowd, pretending not to notice her.
But as he was about to walk past—
The woman smiled faintly, turned her head toward him, and spoke.
"My name is The Ancient One."
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